Energy firm scrutinizing plant site

The third-largest power marketer in the United States continues to look at Leavenworth County as a possible site for construction of a natural-gas fired electricity-generation plant.

"We're still interested," said Rick Rhodes, spokesperson for Duke Energy North America, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, Charlotte, N.C.

"I think it's looking favorably now," Rhodes said. "It's a long process and the site certainly has a lot of possibilities."

Rhodes said that if Duke approves the power plant, groundbreaking could occur as early as February 2002. The evaluation process normally takes from six months to a year, he said.

Two months ago, the corporation purchased an option for 160 acres in Leavenworth County. Although the location has not been publicly announced, an outside source said the site is near Jarbalo, about six miles north of Tonganoxie.

If constructed, the $200 million facility could generate as much as 650 megawatts of electricity.

Rhodes stressed that the site is still undergoing evaluation by Duke's engineers and said that no decision has yet been made.

"Hopefully, within the next month, we'll be able to submit some of our permit applications needed for the site," Rhodes said.

Currently, Rhodes said, the corporation is evaluating what would be the best source of water for the plant.

Cary Carlson, executive director of Leavenworth Area Development, said the source has not yet been determined, but he said the water would probably be piped in.

"The most likely place would be from the Missouri River," Carlson said.

If water were drawn from the Missouri River, it could be transported through a 10-mile-long, 24-inch metal pipe laid between the river and the plant, Carlson said.

During peak periods of electrical generation, the plant would require about 8 million gallons of water a day, Carlson said.